Balanced-Budget Amendment

Regarding your Jan. 27 article, I quote: “After passage of the (balanced budget) amendment, (House Speaker Newt) Gingrich said, he telephoned former First Lady Nancy Reagan to tell her the news, noting that Ronald Reagan ‘was deeply concerned about red ink’ when he was in the White House.”

It took 190 years, from the start of George Washington’s first term (1790) through that of Jimmy Carter (1980), for our national debt to reach the sum of $907.7 billion; yet it took only four years (1981-85, Reagan’s first term in office) for him and his Administration to more than equal that amount, increasing the national debt to $1.82 trillion! After that, apparently Reagan’s “deep concern about red ink” really went to work, for in his second term (1985-89) our national debt then reached $2.86 trillion, more than triple its 1980 status! Thank God for all of us taxpayers that Republican President Reagan’s concern over red ink was not even deeper!

ALVIN M. WALD

San Diego

The results of the arrogance and lack of conscience in the new Congress will undoubtedly lead to a bleak page in this nation’s history. Notice how frivolously they tamper with the U.S. Constitution just to make political points. They glibly established a law (balanced-budget amendment) that they don’t know how to implement. But you see, they’re safe from being held accountable because the final implementation falls on the shoulders of the next Congress. It’s been conveniently scheduled that way. Oh, what frauds they are!

PAULETTE MANSFIELD

Canoga Park

Your article detailing federal spending in Ontario (Jan. 22) made clear the key dilemma of deficit reduction. Middle-class entitlements are bankrupting the government, but there is no politically feasible way to curb them.

Ordinary Americans were the principal beneficiaries of the huge growth of federal programs over the past 25 years, yet we are convinced that we are being slighted. Meanwhile, the person on the street is frustrated that money is being lavished on someone else. The rallying cry of the middle class is perfectly clear: “Slash spending for the rich, for the poor, for illegal immigrants, for students, for artists, for ‘welfare queens,’ for foreign nations, for bureaucrats--but don’t you dare touch my piece of the pie.” The rare politician who speaks truthfully about entitlements is silenced at the ballot box. It is plain that the middle-class is the roadblock to true reform, the engine driving the nation toward fiscal ruin.

ADAM A. SOFEN

Woodland Hills

I find it discouraging that our legislators feel they cannot pass a balanced budget without a constitutional amendment forcing them to do so. I expect my elected representatives to act responsibly. Voting for unbalanced budgets is not acting responsibly.

If a constitutional amendment is required for our legislators to act responsibly, I fear that our Constitution may become impossibly large with these sorts of amendments. Why not pass amendments to prevent cheating on one’s spouse, stealing office supplies and other such irresponsible ways to act?

MARK MATHIAS

Sherman Oaks